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LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 2 of Funding Proposal for the US Fish and Wildlife Service WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA - MODEL REPLICATION AND REGIONAL ENFORCEMENT Proposal Submitted 1 st April 10 Project Summary This project aims to protect the great apes and other endangered species in seven countries from illegal trade by increasing the level of wildlife law enforcement in the Central African sub-region and deterring potential traders from conducting these illegal activities. The countries covered by this initiative hold core populations of almost all African great ape subspecies. The most immediate threat for Central African ape populations is illegal hunting for meat, body parts and live infant pets. These activities are all illegal, but in the past these laws have not been properly enforced and hence the trade, and the slaughter, has been commonplace. The Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA) has worked from 03 on developing and refining a model for NGO- Government collaboration with the ability to bring about the effective enforcement of these laws. This not only curtails the operations of those illegal wildlife exploiters who are prosecuted, but as awareness spreads it will act as a deterrent and reduce the overall level of illegal hunting and trade. With support from the FWS Great Ape Fund, LAGA succeeded in proving the models success, shifting Cameroon from a decade old baseline of zero wildlife prosecutions to an enforcement level of one major dealer prosecuted per week. LAGA has started experimenting with other NGOs in transferring the LAGA experience and replicating the model throughout the sub-region. Two encouraging replications have already taken place in the Republic of Congo with John Aspinall Foundation and WCS s PALF project and in the Central African Republic with the WWF s PALF project. This project will build on these experiences to create a block of 7 countries with effective enforcement and advance from limited national efforts to the establishment of sub-regional wildlife law enforcement needed to combat the international illegal trade. In order to achieve these goal, the objectives of the project are: To ignite the replication of the LAGA model for NGO-government collaboration on wildlife law enforcement in 4 more countries in collaboration with partner NGOs. To set precedence of landmark first deterring wildlife prosecution of a major wildlife criminal in 4 countries. To enable NGO partners to have full ownership functioning sustainable national projects of wildlife law enforcement setting 4 countries on - one arrest per week - enforcement rate, creating a block of 7 countries with functioning enforcement in the region. To establish a model for Sub-regional Wildlife Law Enforcement. The model that would be used to meet these objectives consists of five broad activities investigations, arrest operations, legal assistance, media promotion and reporting.
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 3 of Funding Proposal for the US Fish and Wildlife Service WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA - MODEL REPLICATION AND REGIONAL ENFORCEMENT Proposal Submitted 1 st April 10 1. Statement of Need Project Narrative It is widely recognized that the most immediate threat to most populations of great apes in Central Africa is illegal hunting and the associated widespread trade in meat, body parts and live infants. While it is important to promote long term solutions, such as developing alternative incomes and protein sources, to create the conditions to enable great apes survival on the long term, there is a very real risk that by the time such solutions are implemented there will be few or no viable ape populations left to preserve. Although great apes are protected by national laws and international treaties throughout their range, the enforcement of these laws has historically been very weak if existing at all and has provided little or no deterrent value. In fact, the problem of weak law enforcement (and judiciary ineffectiveness) is one of the most serious underlying causes perpetuating the increase in illegal hunting and unsustainable, illegal exploitation practices, such as uncontrolled logging and mining. Moreover, the problem is not restricted to wildlife, since the main reason for the lack of enforcement and application of the wildlife law throughout the sub-region is the widespread corruption. LAGA s project in Cameroon has focused on finding ways for an NGO-Government collaboration to fill in the gap in establishing national wildlife law enforcement. The US Fish and Wildlife Service supported project proved it is possible for a country to shift from a baseline of no wildlife prosecutions at all to effective prosecutions of major illegal dealers at a rate of one a week. It has allowed for the creation of a model which can now be replicated throughout Central Africa. LAGA s mission is to assist and develop the replication of this model in other countries in the region and to address the problem of poor enforcement of wildlife laws at the regional level. Whilst there are some location-specific projects in the region that address the issue of illegal wildlife trade, LAGA offered the first model for working at the national level with the national government to improve wildlife law enforcement across an entire country. Additionally there is an urgent need to address the problem of wildlife law enforcement at the regional and international level, as many wildlife crimes are carried across national borders.
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 4 of The experience from Cameroon proved it is possible to provide measurable standards for the effectiveness of law enforcement: the number of major wildlife law violators receiving and serving a deterring punishment. Unfortunately baseline for this indicator is still zero in most countries in the Central and Western African sub-regions highlighting the need behind this project proposal. LAGA does not wish to open branches in each country, however, but rather collaborate with existing structures; strengthening and supporting them to play a similar role to the one LAGA is undertaking in Cameroon. LAGA s vision was that by bringing about results with an innovative approach, we will be able to change the existing system and trigger a paradigm shift in the way NGOs tackle wildlife crime. The model is essentially shifting away from targeting small-time poachers in the forest and focusing in legal prosecution of major dealers, fighting head-on the major obstacle to the application of the wildlife law in Africa corruption. Following several recommendations from the international community to replicate the model in other countries, LAGA has started experimenting with other NGOs in transferring the LAGA experience and replicating the model throughout the sub-region. Today, the model is being replicated successfully in two neighboring countries, the Republic of Congo (since 08) and the Central African Republic (since 09), in collaboration with the relevant Ministries and international NGOs. In the Republic of Congo the John Aspinall Foundation and WCS lead the PALF project and in the Central African Republic WWF leads the PALF project. The experiences from these projects confirm the feasibility to replicate the Cameroon experience across the region and the need to have a subregional approach while combating wildlife crimes. The proposed project attempts to pioneer this much needed sub-regional approach by ensuring the implementation and coordination of the LAGA model in 7 neighboring countries in Central Africa: Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Gabon and Nigeria. The project also addresses many FWS criteria, including: Act as a catalyst for activities in a previously neglected area with potential significant conservation value Conduct activities that do not duplicate other ongoing activities Conduct activities that will be harmonious with international, national and/or regional conservation priorities Include the participation of local people in the project activities Promote networking, partnerships and coalitions Provide for the development of a demonstration activity that can be replicated Implement activities that have the potential to be sustained beyond the life of the grant
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 5 of 2. Project Goals and Objectives GOAL To use the LAGA experience to assist governments and NGOs in the Central African sub-region in establishing effective wildlife law enforcement through fighting corruption, increasing enforcement capacity, and producing effective deterrents to the killing of protected species, and through this mechanism combat the illegal wildlife trade and other activities detrimental to the survival of endangered species, and establish effective sub-regional wildlife law enforcement. OBJECTIVES 1. To ignite the replication of the LAGA model for NGO-government collaboration on wildlife law enforcement in 4 more countries in collaboration with partner NGOs. 2. To set national precedents by achieving landmark first deterring wildlife prosecution of a major wildlife criminal in each of the 4 countries. 3. To Enable NGO partners in country to have full ownership of functioning sustainable national projects of wildlife law enforcement setting four countries on - one arrest per week - enforcement rate, creating a block of 7 countries with functioning enforcement in the region. 4. To establish a model for sub-regional wildlife law enforcement. 3. Project Activities, Methods and Timetable METHODS THE LAGA MODEL LAGA is based in a sub-region that has been identified as one of the most harmed by the international illegal wildlife trade. The value of LAGA s first experience in Cameroon, supported by the FWS Great Ape Fund, lies in its potential for replication and a larger impact beyond Cameroon. This is in line with LAGA s objective to serve as a model in the search for a paradigm shift in wildlife law enforcement. The LAGA model for government-ngo collaboration on wildlife law enforcement is set to improve the level of wildlife law enforcement through a concerted and comprehensive approach involving four main stages: INVESTIGATIONS Investigators, undercover agents and informers gather precise information so that dealers in meat and the products of threatened species can be arrested in the act, producing concrete evidence for the courts. Targeting complicity and involvement of officials in the trade is a priority. OPERATIONS The NGO technically assists the Ministry in charge of wildlife and the forces of law and order to arrest violators and to channel complaint reports to the courts. The
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 6 of NGO closely supervises operations in the field and combat corruption and bribing attempts (witnessed in 85% of LAGA s operations so far). LEGAL ASSISTANCE The NGO activates a legal team which assists in the administrative procedures of prosecuting the legal cases arising from these operations. This follows the process from the police report through the entire courts procedure and on to the monitoring of prisoners serving sentences, fighting corruption and bribing attempts (witnessed in 80% of LAGA s court cases so far). MEDIA The NGO puts reports in national TV news, national radio news and written press concerning the success of the operations and positive court rulings. The media informs the public that the law is actively enforced, thereby achieving education of the public on the change, increased deterrent, and perception of the illegal wildlife trade as a criminal activity. ACTIVITIES 1.1 Building relations with 4 governments and willingness to establish enforcement based on the LAGA model LAGA replication coordinators will accompany LAGA director to a three week mission in each one of the four countries - Chad, DRC, Gabon, Nigeria. Together with local collaborators identified in each country (see stakeholders coordination/involvement), the team will hold discussions with relevant government authorities as the Ministers in charge of wildlife, justice and police, the courts, police and gendarmerie, customs, and others, in preparations for the establishment of wildlife law enforcement. In a short time we are expected to reach readiness for the first actions but in fact this is the beginning of a long-term process which aims at creating a network of active collaborators at a high level within the government. Nurturing these relationships requires many personal meetings and establishment of regular communication with the national project. Regular distribution of technical information materials already developed by LAGA including booklets detailing and explaining Cameroonian wildlife law, CDs containing the full text of wildlife laws, copies of the Wildlife Justice Magazine, and legal articles from other sources will be used to keep this communication active. 1.2 Assisting interested NGOs in building up a wildlife law enforcement project based on the LAGA model ensuring sustainability. In each one of the four countries - Chad, DRC, Gabon, Nigeria LAGA has identified NGOs ready to undertake a national project based on the LAGA model (see stakeholders coordination/involvement). This was done on the basis of the successful results in The Republic of Congo with John Aspinall Foundation and WCS s PALF project and in the Central African Republic with the WWF s PALF project, and with the understanding that LAGA will assist in the setting up of the project, lending replication coordinator to manage the project s first six months, and continued technical assistance and support. A manual book for the LAGA experience in national law enforcement will be produced and printed to assist NGOs in the replication process. The NGOs to own the national law enforcement projects will participate in all activities (1-4).
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 7 of 1.3 Engaging players in the international community in 4 countries to participate in ensuring good governance in the arrest and prosecutions of wildlife criminals. During the three weeks mission in each one of the four countries (Chad, DRC, Gabon, Nigeria), LAGA Director, replication coordinator and the partner NGO will undertake a series of meetings with international community representatives. These will include Embassies, The World Bank, IMF, UNDP, UNEP, EU among others. The meetings will focus in explaining the role that the international community played in establishing law enforcement in Cameroon, Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, enlisting their support and active involvement in ensuring good governance in the arrest and prosecutions of wildlife criminals. 1.4 Building national capacity in recruiting and training local staff for sustainable enforcement During the three weeks mission in each one of the four countries (Chad, DRC, Gabon, Nigeria), LAGA Director, replication coordinator and the partner NGO will start recruitment and testing of local qualified activists to form the first team. These will include legal advisers, investigators, media officer and a management assistant. The testing period will be combined with intense training of the local staff by the replication coordinator. 1.5 Locating major wildlife dealers as first targets for enforcement authorities International investigator is deployed for two one-month missions to assist in 4 countries (Chad, DRC, Gabon, Nigeria). The goal of the investigations is to confirm the identity of large scale illegal wildlife exploiters and to provide sufficient evidence for a successful arrest operation by the national authorities. 1.6 Assisting national authorities exercising two first arrest operations of major wildlife dealers per country and ensuring the opening of first court cases in the application of the national wildlife law This activity marks the end of phase I with the duration of 3 weeks for each country. The LAGA team is present in the field in all levels of the operation, monitoring activities and paying special attention to identifying obstacles and preventing corruption attempts. It is very important that arrests are planned in the act so that the perpetrators guilt is not in doubt, and that our agents be protected and their identity concealed so that they can continue to be effective. Dates and locations of operations are selected by the Director based on the most reliable information available, often intercepting deals arranged by undercover investigators. The selected officers travel to the area one or two days before the operation and familiarize themselves with the likely sites for the arrest. The operation is coordinated by LAGA that communicates directly with the investigators to set up the location of the arrest. Officers are deployed as necessary to cover all eventualities / alternative arrangements / escape attempts, under the direction of the coordinator. When the target is in sight, the nearest available officers confront them directly and make an arrest with the minimum possible use of force. A complaint report is written and channeled to the courts together with the offender in collaboration with the local Ministry station. LAGA replication coordinators will assist the ministry s agents with writing the complaint report to avoid errors, deal with expected weaknesses of the case, and strengthen the legal arguments. The work on a case starts before the operation by preparing the legal system for
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 8 of receiving the case and evaluating threats of corruption and governance problems. At this stage he is also insuring the arresting force is acting legally in obtaining arrest or search warrants needed. Next is guiding the arresting officer for specific legal elements needed in the interrogation and the complaint report. The replication coordinators are in the field in the time of operation and are accompanying the arrest and interrogation. They are supervising the transmission of the case to court and communicate with the legal unit of the ministry and the administrative side of the court to insure understanding and identify possible problems of corruption and combat them. 2. Assisting in the setting up of national NGO-government projects and ensuring landmark first prosecution of major wildlife dealers in 4 countries. In Phase II with the duration of 3 months for each country, LAGA s replication coordinator continues the setting up of the national project in collaboration with the partner NGO and works with the NGO on building local capacity of its national wildlife law enforcement project. To ensure good governance in court procedure the replication coordinator and his local team will ensure that expertise is permanently available to follow through all prosecutions. He will communicate directly with the courts and prosecution service, providing advice on all relevant legal matters as well as scrutiny to ensure that no corruption attempts are made by the defendant. 3. Completing the setting up of national NGO-government projects in 4 countries and stabilizing them on one arrest per week enforcement rate. In Phase III with the duration of 3 months for each country, LAGA s replication coordinator prepares to leave the local collaborator NGO with a functioning project to own and fully take over. The replication coordinator leading a local team will monitor all stages in the enforcement and application of wildlife law from field operations to channeling complaints to the administrative side of the legal system, to court trials, and finally to the court verdict and its execution, to set the country on a satisfying enforcement rate. The replication coordinator will update regularly its Case Tracking System, giving an overview on wildlife law enforcement performance as well as an insight on constraints in specific cases. It is different from other databases as it is results oriented. The one measurable standard chosen is prosecutions - their number and their profile. To do that LAGA needed to quantify the law enforcement process so that we will have a measurable scale translating how close you are to your product in terms of numbers. An agency that works with this system will automatically be oriented towards delivering the results and will spend much more of its working time on following up cases in court, or on other crucial activities not previously identified. The integrated nature of the database including links from the overview to individual case details helps to increase the transparency of the process and is also very practical, since a lawyer that is working on this case can click on the complaint report and work on it directly, or get photos of the investigation evidence from the system.
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 9 of National Wildlife Law Enforcement projects will continue by the NGO collaborators with regular investigations, operations, legal follow up and media activities. 4.1 Identifying 12 high level wildlife criminals in 6 countries. The Replication work, international law enforcement authorities, The Lusaka Agreement Task Force and other collaborators will assist in identifying high level wildlife criminals as targets for further investigation. These targets represent the more organized layer of wildlife crime that is more difficult to expose with local investigators alone. 4.2. Activating an Asian professional investigator to prepare pre-identified targets for law enforcement authorities in 6 countries. A specialized Asian investigator will be able to penetrate organized wildlife criminal rings and establish the trust needed for enabling an arrest of high level targets. The Environmental Investigation Agency has agreed to lend an experienced investigator and pay for his time. He will be deployed in two missions covering 6 countries Central Africa Republic, Republic of Congo, Chad, Gabon, DRC and Nigeria. Each one month mission will cover 3 countries. 4.3 Assisting national authorities in 6 countries in the arrest operations of two high level wildlife criminals per country ensuring their legal prosecution. Building on the replication work and the with the national projects with the capacity to coordinate arrest operations and legal follow up, LAGA will assist in using the work of the Asian investigator to produce arrests of high level targets. The national projects will continue to follow up the cases and ensure effective prosecutions. This activity will materialize the potential that lies in replicating the wildlife law enforcement model in 7 neighboring countries sub-regional law enforcement. Wildlife Crime is mostly international and can not be combated in a national level. If successful this experience will assist and inspire other international efforts.
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 10 of TIMETABLE The project duration is one year, the different missions are not yet committed to specific months as their scheduling throughout the year will depend on collaborators in each country. The tablet below gives, therefore, a partial planning timeline. Part Phase Duration Personnel Activities Output Replication (for 4 countries, per country ) Phase I Phase II Phase III Sub-regional Enforcement (For 6 countries, 3 countries per mission) mission I Mission II 3 weeks 3 months 3 Months 1 month 1 month LAGA Director + Replication Coordinators+ Int. Investigator Activity 1 (1.1-1.6) Replication coordinator/s Activity 2 Replication coordinator Activity 3 LAGA Director + Asian Investigator Activity 4 LAGA Director + Asian Investigator Activity 4 First 2 arrests of major wildlife dealers Landmark first effective prosecution of a major wildlife dealer Stabilizing the country on a - one arrest per week - enforcement rate 6 arrests of high level wildlife criminals in 3 countries 6 arrests of high level wildlife criminals in 3 countries 4. Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement LAGA is a very collaborative institution working closely with national and international stakeholders on a range of issues relating to the illegal wildlife exploitation. The first collaborators in this project are the specific governments concerned and the partner NGOs to undertake a sustainable wildlife law enforcement project in each country. LAGA has held discussions over the years with the relevant governments, all have asked for LAGA s assistance and were made aware of LAGAs work mainly through CITES meetings and COMIFAC recommendation letters for LAGA replication addressed to the Ministers. Gabon Conservation Justice the NGO to specialize in wildlife law enforcement in Gabon, was set by Luc Mathot who was in charge of setting up the PALF project in the Republic of Congo,
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 11 of possessing two years experience in the first replication of the LAGA model. The NGO will be functional in Gabon from June 10. WCS WCS opened an important window of opportunity in Gabon with the creation of the national parks authority. With a new focus on ivory trade and involvement in wildlife law enforcement, the national office has asked for LAGA s involvement and coordination discussions were held to that effect. WWF The new national director of WWF Gabon has expressed interest in WWFs involvement in wildlife law enforcement efforts in collaboration with LAGA. The WWF project in north Gabon has asked for LAGA s assistance for a few years in view of large scale elephant poaching and illegal cross-border trade to Cameroon. Chad DRC The Government of Gabon has expressed interest in wildlife law enforcement. SOS Elephant Is focusing on anti-poaching in the National Park. The director, a jurist by profession asked for LAGAs support in assisting SOS Elephant in replicating the LAGA model in Chad. WCS Has recommended collaborating with LAGA on a LAGA-like project in Chad in a report concerning the Zakouma park elephant poaching problem. EU- A project is planned to undertake enforcement responsibility. It has approached LAGA for carrying the model replication based on Congo and CAR examples. A coordination meeting will take place in Chad in April. The Government of Chad Discussed with LAGA their need in assistance in CITES meetings, received a letter from COMIFAC recommending the replication of LAGA. Lola Ya Bonobo The Bonobo sanctuary is engaged for a while with confiscation operations with the Ministry and the Police Forces. The founder Claudine Andre is influential and agreed to assist in the replication of the LAGA model in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo The Congolese Parks Authority (ICCN) has asked for LAGA s assistance regularly in CITES meetings. Although LAGA has held meetings with government authorities in DRC in 05 and 08, we have not yet met the current Minister in charge of wildlife. LATF To compensate on a relative low level of collaboration in DRC, LAGA relies on the director of LATF, a Congolese with extensive experience in developing wildlife law enforcement potential in DRC and good relations with the DRC government. Nigeria WCS The Government of Nigeria requested assistance from WCS in the setting of a national law enforcement project based on the LAGA model. WCS expressed interest in working with LAGA. The Government of Nigeria After a long time of low potential for developing wildlife law enforcement, The Government of Nigeria has submitted a report to CITES in its 15 th Conference of the Parties indicating a new window of opportunity. The report elaborated the setting up of a special wildlife law enforcement unit, the first confiscations and the rapid improvements of the national legislation. With the direct interest to lift a CITES trade
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 12 of suspension still valid for Nigeria as a none-compliance measure, it seems the unit is eager to show results. LAGA has held several discussions with the Unit s deputy director and legal advisor that expressed great interest in working with LAGA under this project. Central African Republic WWF is already owning a functioning wildlife law enforcement project-ralf- as a replication of LAGA (09) The Government of the Central African Republic is very collaborative in high level of all relevant Ministers, already signed an endorsement letter for the RALF project. Republic of Congo The John Aspinall Foundation is already owning a functioning wildlife law enforcement project-palf- as a replication of LAGA (08). WCS leads the PALF project together with the John Aspinall Foundation and engaged in the functioning wildlife law enforcement project as a replication of LAGA (08). The Government of the Republic of Congo is very collaborative in high level of all relevant Ministers, already signed an endorsement letter for the PALF project. The model for collaboration with a government is based on LAGA s collaboration with the government of Cameroon. The MoU between LAGA and the government has been improved in 08 to increase LAGA s mandate in the fight against corruption and higher levels of wildlife crime. This MoU gave legitimacy for similar projects with other governments in the sub-region and serves as a base for forging good relationship with governments in the replication work. The main government agency involved in each country is the Ministry in charge of wildlife although other government agencies such as the Ministry of Justice are also consulted on various issues and activities. Collaboration with the Ministry in charge of wildlife would be on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, with the ministry s officers as well as police officers represented in arrest operations. The relationship with the government is so close that LAGA representatives are often placed on delegations (for instance on missions to South Africa or in all CITES meetings from 04) as government representatives rather than NGO observers. Working closely at the Ministerial level also allows LAGA to help formulate policy and plan future activities Since its inception, LAGA has relied on building cooperative relationships with its partner/collaborator organizations and entities. For example, as a member of governmental delegations to meetings of CITES, GRASP, and AFLEG (African Forest Law Enforcement and Governance), LAGA is kept aware of the broader problems in bushmeat trade and wildlife law enforcement that impact all of forest Africa. Specific organizations with which LAGA maintains regular communication include: Sanctuaries and The Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) LAGA has been collaborating with The Pan African sanctuary Alliance and contributed in several PASA meetings. The most extensive experience with PASA members has been with agencies that provide care for animals that have been confiscated in LAGA s operations in Cameroon. The three shelters are: Mefou National Park (run by the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund), Limbe
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 13 of Wildlife Centre (run by Pandrillus), and the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center (run by In Defense of Animals). Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) LAGA has represented Cameroon as an official member of the governmental delegation in all meetings regarding this vital international treaty for the past six years. Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP) LAGA is an active partner in GRASP, which is a project of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) aimed at preventing the extinction of the world s great apes. The Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) - a permanent inter-governmental organization whose main objective is joint co-operation to combat illegal trade in wild fauna and flora; the Lusaka Agreement is a multilateral environmental agreement negotiated under the auspices of UNEP. CITES decisions, GRASP and AFLEG declarations all contain recommendation to the parties to collaborate with LATF. Congo Brazzaville is a member of the agreement while DRC and Nigeria may join in the near future. LATF can play a key role in ensuring continuity and sustainability of the process. LAGA has collaborated with LATF for more than five years and the organization expressed its interest in assisting in the replication project and in the subregional enforcement operations. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) Specialized NGO with investigations expertise and information on large scale wildlife trafficking in Central Africa, that has been collaborating with LAGA in the past. Has expressed interest to assist LAGA in this project in expertise, sharing of information and possibly support staff. The Wildlife Alliance Headed by Steve Galster (formerly WildAid) that possesses extensive knowledge and expertise on wildlife trafficking in Asia. Expressed interest in collaborating with LAGA in this project to complement sub-regional investigations of wildlife trafficking to Asia so that the sub-regional enforcement can link to the Asian Law Enforcement Network - ASEAN-WAN. Donors LAGA has received financial support from: The US Fish and Wildlife Service, International Primate Protection League, the Born Free Foundation, the World Bank, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Animal Welfare Institute, ProWildlife, The Arcus Foundation, The Neu Corporation, UNEP-GRASP and the British High Commission in Cameroon among others 5. Anticipated Benefits and Outputs: See also the tablet in section 3. 1. In four countries, government agencies engaged, international community representatives enlisted, partner NGO started a national wildlife law enforcement project with recruited personnel and all stakeholders exercised a collaborative arrest of two major wildlife dealers per country. 2. National NGO-government projects are fully functional and landmark first deterring prosecution of major wildlife dealers in 4 countries achieved.
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 14 of 3. National NGO-government projects in 4 countries are stabilizing on one arrest per week enforcement rate and owned by partner NGOs committed for their sustainability. 4. 12 high level wildlife criminals arrested and prosecuted in sub-regional operations, and a model for regional wildlife law enforcement is developed. 5. Enforcement pressure on illegal wildlife trading activities leads to a reduction in volume of such trade, resulting in reduced demand for wild animals and their parts and products, and hence reduced levels of poaching across the region. 6. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: The lack of measurable standards is one of the main obstacles for the development of wildlife law enforcement. The collaborative program has built-in procedures for determining the success or failure. Our case follow-up reports allow direct auditing. And our product has one primary measurable standard, an objectively verifiable indicator of achievement: the number of wildlife law violators receiving and serving a deterring punishment. This will be integrated to work with each country. The results of the project are published on our website on a monthly basis and are opened for public evaluation and monitoring. We encourage independent monitors to verify our reports in the field, and do so without prior notification. All expenses above $1 are being documented in the financial report. Operations are documented in video. All media coverage is recorded and filed. 7. Sustainability: The project relies on several major donors. The grant of $32,800applied for from the US Fish and Wildlife Service is matched by $44,800 from other donors. The sustainability of this project s actions is ensured by partner NGOs mentioned in section 4 that expressed their interest in sustaining national wildlife law enforcement projects. Many of LAGA s donors expressed their willingness to support the replicated projects.
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 15 of 8. Description of Organization(s) Undertaking the Project: The Last Great Ape organization (LAGA) is a non-governmental organization registered in Israel in 02. Its goal is to fight the commercial poaching with its related trade of protected species. It is a field-based organization designed to establish the effective enforcement of local wildlife law that is critical to the survival of the threatened animals. The Director, Ofir Drori, is an Israeli national, whilst all the other staff are Cameroonian. LAGA operates out of an office in Yaounde and employs around a dozen people on permanent basis to undertake activities from investigation to publicity to legal advocacy. It is funded by a range of international donors including US Fish and Wildlife Service, the World Bank, the British High Commission in Cameroon, the Arcus Foundation, The Rufford Foundation, The Neu Foundation, the Born Free Foundation, World Society for the Protection of Animals, UNEP and others. LAGA is the first specialized Law Enforcement NGO in the sub-region. It focuses on threatened species, and mainly on the dealers, the primary generators of the illegal bushmeat business, the ivory trade and the pet trade. As a pioneer in NGO involvement in wildlife law enforcement in Africa, LAGA is credited in shifting Cameroon from a decade old baseline of zero wildlife prosecutions to an enforcement rate of one major wildlife dealer arrested and prosecuted per week. It has brought about the first major effective prosecution of a wildlife dealer under the national wildlife law not only in Cameroon but now in The Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic as well. LAGA has won the Clark Bavin award for outstanding achievement in wildlife law enforcement, and its work with the government of Cameroon won the Interpol Ecomessage award.
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 16 of 9. Project Budget Table: (NB: Figures are converted from original calculations in CFA this may produce some small discrepancies in USD calculations.) Budget Item FW S Other Total Cost Attributed Donors Replication - Gabon, Chad, D RC, Nigeria Personnel Replication Coordinators 9,600 9,600 19,0 International Flights Replication Coordinators 4,800-4,800 Director 2,400-2,400 Running Costs - T ravel Subsistence coordinators 4,800-4,800 T ravel Subsistence Director 1,800-1,800 Communications 3,300-3,300 Sensitization - Printing R eplication Manual 1,600-1,600 Sensitization Materials 300-300 Replication - Investigation Support Personnel International Investigator 9,000 9,000 International Flights Long distance flights 3,000 3,000 Sub-regional flights 1,0 1,0 Running Costs T ravel Subsistence investigator 1,600 1,600 Communications 600 600 Sub-Regional Enforcement - covering 6 countries Personnel Asian Investigator 11,000 11,000 International Flights Long distance flights 3,000 3,000 Sub-regional flights investigator 3,000 3,000 Sub-regional flights director 3,000-3,000 Running Costs T ravel Subsistence investigator 1,600 1,600 T ravel Subsistence Director 1,0-1,0 Communications 1,0 1,0 - T otal Cost $ 32,800 44,800 77,600
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 17 of 10. Budget Justifications: (NB: Figures are converted from original calculations in CFA this may produce some small discrepancies in USD calculations.) Budget Item Unit Unit Price Quantity Total Cost Subtotal in US$ in US$ Replication - Gabon, Chad, DRC, Nigeria $ 38,0 Personnel 19,0 Replication Coordinators Man / Month 800 24 19,0 International Flights 7,0 Replication Coordinators flight 600 8 4,800 Director flight 600 4 2,400 Running Costs 9,900 T ravel Subsistence coordinators Man / Month 600 8 4,800 T ravel Subsistence Director Man / Month 600 3 1,800 Communications Man / Month 300 11 3,300 Sensitization 1,900 Printing Replication Manual 1, 600 1 1,600 Sensitization Materials 300 1 300 Replication - Investigation Support $ 15,400 Personnel 9,000 International Investigator Man / Month 4, 500 2 9,000 International Flights 4,0 Long distance flights flight 1, 500 2 3,000 Sub-regional flights flight 600 2 1,0 Running Costs 2,0 T ravel Subsistence investigator Man / Month 800 2 1,600 Communications Man / Month 300 2 600 Sub-Regional Enforcement mission $ 24,000 Personnel 11,000 International Investigator Man / Month 5, 500 2 11,000 International Flights 9,000 Long distance flights flight 1, 500 2 3,000 Sub-regional flights investigator flight 600 5 3,000 Sub-regional flights director flight 600 5 3,000 Running Costs 4,000 T ravel Subsistence investigator Man / Month 800 2 1,600 T ravel Subsistence Director Man / Month 600 2 1,0 Communications Man / Month 300 4 1,0 T otal Cost $ 77,600
LAGA WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA 4/1/10 Page 18 of 11. Governmental Endorsement: A letter of endorsement is attached In April 06 an MoU was signed between LAGA and MINFOF concerning this project, In October 08 the MoU was improved to give LAGA a stronger mandate to fight corruption and target the highest levels of wildlife crime. Each of the partner NGOs possesses a convention with the host government. The replication projects in the Republic and Congo and the Central African Republic received a few months after their creation a letter of endorsement specific for law enforcement activities. We expect this to be the case with the projects to be created in the next four countries. 12. Map: Project site is stretched over 7 neighboring countries Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.
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